Mask or No Mask? How Dancing With the Stars Is Handling Live Shows Amid the Pandemic
Mask on, mask off?
Dancing With the Stars is heading back to the ballroom with some new rules to follow.
As the pandemic continues, all productions have special protocols in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on set. ABC has already revealed that the pros, including the married ones, will have to quarantine separately to prevent multiple pros having to be replaced in the event of positive coronavirus test. The entire cast is currently quarantining and that arrangement will continue until at least the live shows begin on Sept. 14, though rules could change throughout the season.
As for how the live shows themselves will work, a source tells E! News that the dances will be performed live on the usual Dancing With the Stars set, but there won't be a studio audience.
Every pro and star will be tested daily for COVID-19, and because of that, no masks will be required during the performances.
The show will certainly look different without an audience cheering or booing the judges' harsh comments, but at least we're not in for a whole bunch of sequined face masks.
Meet the Cast of Dancing With the Stars Season 29
Pros Emma Slater and Sasha Farber, who are married, spoke on GMA about what quarantine life was going to be like.
"It's gonna be bliss—I mean, it's gonna be terrible," Emma joked. "It's gonna be so different because we can't actually interact and even prep with each other, which is something completely different, but we're doing everything we can to keep it safe."
She explained that she was going to be the one moving out of their house so that Sasha could continue to take care of his plants.
Pros Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy are also married, as well as Pasha Pashkov and first-time pro Danielle Karagach.
The other pros include Artem Chigvintsev, Brandon Armstrong, Sharna Burgess, Cheryl Burke, Keo Motsepe, Peta Murgatroyd, Gleb Savchenko, newcomer Britt Stewart, and reigning winner Alan Bersten.
The new cast of stars was announced Wednesday, Sept. 2 and included a wide variety of names, including infamous Tiger King figure Carole Baskin. She's joined by Chrishell Stause, Kaitlyn Bristowe, Johnny Weir, Nev Schulman, Charles Oakley, Vernon Davis, Skai Jackson, Nelly, Jesse Metcalfe, Jeannie Mai, Justina Machado, Monica Aldama, AJ McLean and Anne Heche.
Celeb and pro pairings have not been announced yet but will be officially revealed during the season premiere on Monday, Sept. 14, which will also serve as Tyra Banks' debut as the new host.
